Maryland is the 42nd largest state, making it one of the smallest states in America. It is located in the South Atlantic region on the east coast of the United States. Prince George is one of Maryland's twenty-four counties. It is also the geographic center of the state. Maryland has a varied climate. The state is home to a variety of different ecosystems. This is also true for Maryland's environment, which includes the Atlantic Ocean on the coast, mountains and forests. My article will focus on Prince George's County and the State of Maryland. The size of the state and how connected parts of Prince George's County are to neighboring counties and cities make it wise to take a broader view of Maryland's ecology and environment. There are many freshwater ecosystems in Maryland. Many of them are in PrinceGeorge County. There are several streams and rivers in the county that flow into the Chesapeake Bay. Many of these streams developed after glaciers began to melt, flooding existing rivers and creating new streams. The Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries grew and formed at the end of the Ice Age. These rivers and streams are home to several species of fish. These species include smallmouth and largemouth bass, catfish, bluegill, yellow and white perch, carp, pumpkinseed, pike, and eel. Perch and panfish are considered threatened or endangered species. This is true for many creatures that live in freshwater dwellings. Forty-one percent of Maryland's freshwater fish are now listed as rare, threatened or endangered. The State of Maryland and Prince George's County are trying to save and restore these freshwater habitats. The county with the...... middle of paper ......ill, Deborah J. Chaloud, Elizabeth R. Smith and Anne C. Neale. (1997). An ecological assessment of the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington DC Maryland Department of Natural Resources in response to climate change. (2011). My Maryland Green Guide. Retrieved from http://www.mygreenguidemaryland.com/Land-Conservation-and-Preservation-in-Maryland/maryland-department-natural-resources-responding-to-climate-change.htmlMaryland's Environment: 20,000 Years story of change. Retrieved from http://www.jefpat.org/archeobotany/PDF/PaleobotEssay.pdf Stranko, Scott, Kilian, Jay, Becker, Andy, Klauda, ​​​​Ronald, and Dan Boward (2009). TheBlackbanded Sunfish, protecting Maryland's freshwater ecosystems. Retrieved from http://www.dnr.state.md.us/naturalresource/winter2009/sunfish.pdf